For the meat, chop the pork belly, pork neck, and Italian sausage and transfer everything to a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the ingredients for the dry rub and add it to the meat. Stir everything together until the meat is coated evenly, cover the bowl, transfer it to the refrigerator, and chill for 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Chop the vegetables into small, equally sized pieces, stir them together, and add the mixed vegetables to the seasoned meat.
Wash the outside of the watermelon thoroughly to make sure no bacteria or dirt remains on the rind. Cut the top off of the watermelon, use a pineapple corer to remove the fruit from the center, and set the fruit of the watermelon aside for later. Transfer the meat and vegetable mixture to the hollowed-out watermelon and add in the sprigs of thyme, rosemary, and lemon zest. Place the top back on the watermelon, transfer it to the oven, and bake at 325°F for 2½ hours.
For the watermelon salsa, chop the fruit of the watermelon into small cubes and season them with salt. Let the salted watermelon sit briefly to remove any excess moisture. Once the excess moisture has drained, combine the chopped watermelon with the minced chili pepper, chopped mint, lime juice & zest, diced red onion, and season with salt & pepper.
Once the meat and vegetables are done baking inside of the watermelon, remove them from the oven and serve this delicious, original dish with tangy, refreshing watermelon salsa. This surprising combination of flavors will stun you and the lucky guests or family members you serve it to. You'll never see watermelon in the same way again!
